Monday, January 30, 2012

The elephant...on my head...

I feel like there is something I need to talk about.  Something that I've been wanting to write about for a few months now, but haven't quite had the inspiration.  No, it's not about world peace, or grass fed versus corn fed cows.  It's about something much closer to me.  On top of me even.  It's my hair.  This might not be a big deal to you.  In fact, I'm quite certain you don't care about my hair at all.  But it's a big deal to me, and this is my blog.

You see, when I was in high school, I had normal hair.  In the late 90's it was cool to not really "do" your hair, which was kind of a winning situation for me, since I didn't actually like to do my hair.  It's unfortunate, looking back on pictures of me in oversized flannel shirts, pants made for boys and Dr. Martin shoes, but at least getting ready for school each day took minimal effort.  My hair was just a normal mid-length, like most other teenage girls at that time.
My freshman year in high school....
My senior year in high school.  Note the vast difference 4 years makes...or not....
Then I went to college.  My first year there, I stuck to my normal girl hair.
Freshman year in college.  "Normal" girl hair. 
Then, the summer between my freshman and sophomore year, I cut it.  Really short.  I did this, in part, because in the marching band I was in, short hair was waaaaay easier to deal with, and also, because Gwyneth had short hair, and her's was super cute.   So I cut it, and I came back to school that year, and lots of people told me they loved it.  I loved it.  It actually made me more confident in my appearance, knowing that my hair was different than most other girls.
This was at a Jimmy Buffett concert, so pay no mind to the leis and squinty eyes.
It just worked for me.  It was easy.  I never had to "do" it.  It never took me more than 5 minutes to get my hair ready every day.  Well, you know that old phrase "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"?  It wasn't broke, so I didn't fix it.  Ever. 

At my sister's wedding, when I was in college.

In Key West on college spring break.

Here I am with the really dressy version of my hair.  (Also took 5 minutes to do)

Sometimes it was a little shorter...
One time I actually tried to grow it out!
But then I cut it again :/
Our engagement picture....
A picture on our honeymoon....
Pre-baby hot air ballooning....



Post baby Bronco tailgating....
Jackson's first birthday....

On a cruise in 2010....
About a month before getting pregnant with Gavin in 2010...
Year after year, I had the exact same hair cut.  For 13 years!  Then I got pregnant with Gavin, and decided to grow it out.  In part because I was too broke to get my hair cut, and in part because I thought "well if I'm going to be all awkward looking with this big belly, I might as well have awkward hair too."

So I grew it out.

Slowly....

(My belly grew much faster than my hair!)
Very slowly.....
But surely.....
My hair started getting longer! (Man, I was tan....is it summer yet?!)

Until it wasn't all that awkward anymore!  (My hair, not my belly!)
So here I am, six months after Gavin was born. 15 months since my last real haircut, and it's finally shoulder length.  And I don't know what the heck to do with it!  I've never actually "done" my hair before.  Not on a regular basis anyway.  Sometimes I try to curl it....
Sometimes I try to straighten it.....
But naturally, it does this sort of not really straight, not really wavy, limp hanging thing....

Ugh.  I can't believe I just showed the interwebs my 4 inch roots and completely unstyled hair....
The bang area of my hair always drives me crazy!  It's constantly falling in my face, so I either tuck it....
Or pin it....
Or, 9 times out of 10, give up and put it in a pony tail.
So, now the big question is where to go from here.  I'm really thinking I should keep it long.  At least for a little while longer.  Although I liked having short hair, and feeling unique, I also like having hair that I can actually do stuff with now.  And feeling a little more feminine.  It definitely needs cut though.  At least a little.  And we won't even get into my roots.  I'm fully aware that those need taken care of.  And the biggest question in my mind (regarding my hair) is TO CUT BANGS OR NOT.  I always either tuck, pin or pony, so I feel like something needs done.  I'm thinking some sort of side swept bang situation, but it  has to stay out of my eyes.  Especially with my glasses.  (Although those may be going away soon!  Stayed tuned about that!)  So I don't know.  What do you guys think?  Are bangs a horrible idea?  Should I just give in and go with what works?  (short hair again?)  Seriously.  What do you think?

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6 comments:

  1. Okay, I have been thinking a lot about the bangs, due to recent conversation. Bangs are tricky. First, they have to be too short, so that they arent in your eyeballs 5 minutes after your last haircut. Trimming them yourself is TRICKY and I really dont suggest it! I have a cowlick, that splits my bangs...or it did until my current stylist cut them at an angle so that it cant split. Hello miracle.You have to do them EVERY DAY or pin them back which I think can look like I just need to wash my face. I learned to french braid them into a little out of the face braid and leave the rest of it down. I love that in the summer, aka the hardest season on bangs. If you go with them, check with your stylist, sometimes they do free bang trims in between cuts.

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  2. i have nothing to add since i can't have bangs, i have no experience. i will say that every time i've done them for my girls, i regret it later when i'm trying to grow them out. i like your length! it looks really cute curled. maybe just a trim and some highlights? you're adorable no matter how you do it!

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  3. I really like the length it is now, and I thought it looked very cute in the picture where you curled it slightly. As for the bangs... I say, go for it. Try them out and see what you think. You can always pin them back if you don't like them and let them grow back out.

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  4. I have to say, I do like the length now, and curled, with the blond highlights. But I also struggled with this- I did an awesome short cut my senior year of high school and everyone loved it, I had that short cut freshman year in college and I loved it. Easy to do, everyone complimented it, and not everyone can wear super short hair. I have finally grown my hair, it's pretty long now and I know my husband likes it long. My son also likes it long, he always insists I "wear it down." But, it always ends up in a pony tail, I just have no patience for long hair. So....I am a huge fan of short hair and I think it looks really cute on you. I would say no to bangs. Maybe he length it is now with more layers and highlights, or shorter. I think you look awesome with short hair.

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  5. Hmmmmmm....I was, like 90% sure about bangs before this. But now I'm scared. Ugh, what to do, what to do.... I would definitely need to be able to get them trimmed often. My hair grows super slow, so it's either a good thing (that I don't have to get them cut often) or a horrible thing (that it will take forever to grow out).

    @MKP, your short hair was awesome! I loved it! Eric actually prefers my hair short, but Jackson likes it long. He tells me several times a week that he likes my hair. He used to never do that. Not that a three year old gets a vote, I just think it's funny.

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  6. I say cut it. But since I am your husband. I say no matter what you do, you look beautiful.

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